Rasennan Summer

A Sorcerous Swashbuckler

Summer in Rasenna is hot, mitigated somewhat by the breezes that uncoil off the Saanwater and pass through the cities, and alleviated by shade and cold streams in the countryside. Things become almost lazy when it’s at its hottest, with only the most industrious toiling in shipyards and fields for the promise of a few extra coins. But even during the most sluggish heat of the day, the appearance of idleness is an illusion. Crafters devise fine new wares in cool basements. Merchants are all business as they discuss their grand enterprises over leisurely luncheons. Intrigues still spin in the shade. And as they say across the country, “the coin always rolls.”

And at night — a Rasennan summer night unfolds like a starviolet. The intrigue-spinners pull their strings tightly, and listen to the chimes. Audacious young men and women flaunt their elders with terribly inadvisable liaisons. House rivalries flex and mutter, and it’s all too easy for a dagger or sword to come unsheathed on a hot evening. Lights flare in the windows of the Sorcerous Houses; things are summoned that will not come by day. And the coin always rolls.

The Rasennan summer has become a proverb in the lands around the Saan. It means work in a time set aside for idleness, intrigues in nights too short to conceal them properly. It means a false idyll, and of course it says something about the character of the Rasennans.

You have to make your map square. I had to add whitespace at the top and bottom of the city maps I scanned to keep them from being squashed. Also make sure it’s only 72 dpi so it doesn’t take up too much room.

Hey peoples with weddings in their character’s (or DNPC’s) future, feel free to come up with some more cool wedding traditions that are local to your House or city or family or what not. Ethan would not mind some input.

The character sheets are part of the site interface; there should be a drop-down bar you can choose when editing or creating a character under the “Characters” section, right at the top. Give it a try!

Funny to see this up here—I’ve been kicking around the idea of getting my belluna game started back up. It faltered a bit due to my schedule and making the transition from 3.5 to 4e, but there’s just too much about an Italian setting not to use.